I always thought California would be such a cool place to visit. But so, so far away, the idea of visiting intimidated someone like me who isn’t exactly well-traveled. It turns out, though, that I was right! California is so cool! And I got to see so much of it in my recent trip with Glamping Hub.

I flew from Ohio to LAX, met up with three of my dearest friends, and drove up through the mountains to Big Bear Lake, where we had the chance to stay in this amazing mid century cabin. We enjoyed the view of the mountains and forest, but also the amenities of a modern home with civilization just down the road. What a fun trip it was!

If this place seems pretty grand for a cabin, well, that’s because it is. The airy great room and openness of the stairs and walkways makes the home feel airy and modern. But somehow it felt cozy and homey as well. My idea of a mountain cabin, that’s for sure!

We played games, cooked food together, explored the town and antique shops, soaked in the hot tub, and tried to watch movies (inevitably talking overtook the movie-watching experience.) Such a couple couple of days in Big Bear, and a perfect way to recharge without kids or responsibilities to worry about for a bit.

This was actually my first experience flying alone, renting a car alone, and organizing a trip on my own. I guess this is what being a grown-up is like! Ha! It was a great experience, and working with Glamping Hub to find cool places to stay in California made the experience even more exciting. The hosts of the cabin were very helpful, providing useful information about the house we were staying in, and the best places to visit in the area. I’d love to head back soon, and am already planning my return!

After staying in Big Bear, we drove up the Pacific coast to Sonoma, which was also quite an experience. I’ll share more about that part of the trip soon. For now, check out how cool this cabin is! And you can book a visit this this Big Bear Lake cabin right here, if you’re interested.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s that a lingering sense of inadequacy is always present. Regardless of what stage of life you or I are in, we’ve probably felt overwhelmed and under-equipped at some point, if not at multiples times each day. As a mother I’ll often stop and think, what on earth did I do with my time before kids? But the fact is, I remember feeling overwhelmed and frazzled before kids. Is it just me, I wondered? I doubt it.

But lately I’ve discovered the magic of changing my morning routine to positively impact my mind and how I’m able to handle the rest of my day— as easy or as stressful as it might be. What’s my secret? Getting up earlier, actually! Who knew?

I’ve discovered that an extra hour each morning can work wonders for the rest of my day. Maybe this is no revelation to all of you morning people out there, but for me, it has taken a huge sacrifice each day to get there. To get up before a work schedule dictated the beginning of my day. To get up before Lucy was whining for me to make her breakfast, and then a different breakfast because she changed her mind. To get up just for the sake of having an easier morning has been no easy task, but it’s done wonders for the success of my days!

Let me tell you, waking up earlier will do nothing for you if you’re sleep deprived. So I suppose the first positive change starts the evening before— turning off electronics, saying no to “just one more episode” urges, and making needed changes to prepare for a restful night of rest in order to be able to function the next day.

But once I’m there in the morning (alongside my go-getter husband who has been my biggest inspiration), getting up earlier gives me much needed alone time to contemplate my dreams and goals (for life, or just for my day), or just to catch up on some reading. There’s nothing quite like being able to drink all of my coffee while it’s still hot, savoring its creamy deliciousness, and just sitting completely still if that’s what I feel like doing. This time makes me feel rejuvenated, but also starts my day with a sense of accomplishment and pride, knowing that I got started earlier than I actually needed to.

When I don’t carve out this time at the beginning of my day (which is the last thing I feel like doing when my bed is so cozy and warm!), I’m awoken by a screaming baby (who’s been crying for who knows how long?) or a yelling toddler (who’s awoken a screaming baby) who is ready with her list of demands for the day, starting with breakfast because she is STARVING (she’s probably yelling this in my ear which is covered with my bed sheets). Not exactly the chill and empowering start to the day I really crave, is it? This is what I try to remind myself during the mental battle each day to get my bones out. of. BED!

So I wake up early and make the magic happen. What do I do first? I’ll drag myself into the kitchen and get a pot of water onto the stove. As the water reaches its boiling point, I’ll challenge myself to accomplish as many little kitchen/home tasks I can in that amount of time. Usually I can get a load of laundry started, unload the dishwasher, and water my plants. Then, I’ll pour the hot water over coffee grounds in my french press and set the timer for another four minutes. Time to scurry around getting my gym bag ready, putting away a few stray toys, and maybe if I’m quick, I can clean a bottle or two. By now my coffee is ready and I already feel accomplished and ready to attack the day. But this is my moment. My coffee is ready. I’ve got my special Simply Pure Hazelnut creamer. It’s just the beginning of my day, but I have accomplished tasks already and can fully rest, relax, and contemplate my plan of attack as I sip my coffee in silence. I feel equipped to start the day on my own terms. I feel ready to adult! And it’s magic. Until I hear Lucy’s bedroom door squeak open and the chaos begins. But I’m ready. Bring it, sisters! What do you want for breakfast?!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

Life in the blogosphere can appear pretty editorialized most of the time, depending on where you’re reading. I know I’m inundated with beautiful images of pristine homes with clean hard wood floors and elegant children’s toys, decadent doughnut-eating women with trim figures and made-up faces, and let’s not forget the $700 strollers filled with children wearing mid-level designer clothing. I honestly do love to look at those things— they’re pretty, escapist, and inspiring in a way, but a reality check every now and then is great for the soul!

So here’s my Saturday afternoon reality check. What did this Saturday look like? Well, it was very boring. And as wonderful as it was mundane. I thought I’d give you a peek into the reality of our perfectly normal and unexciting afternoon, with glimpses of our home, unstaged and not exactly photo ready. (Though I’ll be honest— this is actually pretty clean as far as things tend to get with a toddler and a maker mom!) So allow me to get a little chatty, rambley, and most importantly— real— with you today!

Phil had come home from a morning business meeting and thought he’d take Lucy outside to rake leaves. We have lots of trees, so I figured that would keep them occupied for a while, and I could putz around the house picking up things from our chaotic week. Well, no such luck. Phil brought out the leaf blower and it was game over. (She doesn’t like loud things.) So we sat down for a two hour lunch. That’s how long lunches with Lucy usually last if you hold your ground as a parent and actually make her eat more than just half of a sandwich for lunch. During that time I nursed Juniper and put her in her swing for a nap. She’s a terrifically easy baby, and usually falls asleep nicely in it.

Hey sweet cheeks! Atta girl, just sit there nicely and drift off to dream land while mommy helps sis make a poop on the potty. How’s that for glamorous living? Yeah, we have a training toilet right out in the open in our living room. Not to get too graphic, but it smells reeeeal nice after Lucy pays it a visit. But hey! This is a really good thing, because it means one less bottom to wipe and diaper. Potty training is going well. We think Lucy’s probably 80% trained, but that’s a story for another day. And don’t worry— I won’t be telling you about our potty training journey! I’m just thinking that content probably doesn’t belong here. You’re welcome.

After lunch, Lucy wanted to wash dishes. I was glad to hear it, because “dish washing” is an activity that keeps her occupied for up to a couple of hours usually. She just likes to play in the water and dump out little cups of water into bigger cups of water. That sort of thing. I can’t wait until this excitement for dish washing translates into actual clean dishes.

Lucy’s wearing whatever Phil picked out for her in the morning, which actually sort of matches what I’m wearing— and that would be the same thing I wore to bed last night— Phil’s Ohio State sweatshirt and some comfy black lounge pants. No face washed, no hairs brushed, and no teeth brushed. (That goes for both me and Lucy.) Hey, it’s Saturday. No judging allowed. We’re just takin’ it easy and ignoring all of the actual dishes that need washed from the past few days. (…that are plentiful enough to be lining the window sill in the kitchen.)

The laundry basket on the sofa is filled with my clothes that were cleaned and folded two days ago, and still haven’t made it from the basket into my dresser drawers. But that’s okay! Because I can just dash out to the living room to get underwear if I need to. Joys of living in a small house.

Uh, oh! Juniper isn’t being her usual easy going self any more! She is tired, sad, and needs a little mommy time. So I set down the camera and took her into my bed to nurse her for a few minutes. She gets distracted out in the rest of our house, so sometimes we have to steal away and then she can focus and eat.

Speaking of laundry, I have no idea if that pile of clothes on Lucy’s dresser is clean or dirty. I haven’t gotten around to dealing with it— or to dusting the dresser, apparently. Note the box of wipes at the ready— you never know when you’ll need cleaning supplies nearby when you’re potty training a toddler!

Check it out! My dining room has been a mess for the past month as I’ve been working on this dollhouse project. The mammoth thing has eclipsed my Fall decorations, and in order to prevent the same thing happening to Christmas decorations, I’ve set a deadline for Wednesday to complete the project. That deadline includes the structure, not the furnishings. While it’s out and being photographed, I thought I’d pull back the sheet a bit to give you a peek inside!

This corner of the living room is actually pretty clean. Lucy never played with any of her toys today. Just the garden rake and the dishes. Fine by me!

And now it’s time for Lucy to go with Daddy to Grandma and Grandpa’s house to watch the Ohio State game. They’re both excited about it, and I’m looking forward to a little me-time. Time to go put on the kettle to make a pot of coffee and get cracking on this dollhouse before Juniper wakes up!